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The corner of his mouth lifted. “It’s more than working. You saved her life. It’s the best Christmas gift I could have received.”
“Technically, it happened around Halloween, so—”
“You know what I mean.”
My laugh dissipated into awkward tension. James rubbed his hands together and stepped closer. “I’m also sorry for the way I spoke to you and the way I treated you at the barbecue. I had no right. You didn’t deserve the hate, and I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you.”
The deep tone resonated in my bones, and I shivered.
“I never want my son seeing me like that,” he whispered.
“Foxy was inside.”
The bulge of his throat inched up, then down.
“I also never want the woman I love seeing me like that. I’m not that man. Is Ozzy… I mean Foxy okay?”
I glanced back over my shoulder.“Of course he’s okay. He loves spending time with his grandparents.”
“Okay.”
“Would you like to see him?”
He smiled. An instant spark of happiness lit up his eyes and my heart. He removed his jacket, and the smell of him hit my lungs. The light scent of pepper and rose sent a delightful reminder through my body.
I hung his jacket on the coat rack and gestured him inside.
He turned around, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t have long, and I do wish I could stay, but it’s my brother’s wedding and I’m the best man.”
His nerves were cute.
“It’s all right. Hey, Foxy.” I stepped into the living room, and my parents left to give us privacy. My son turned around, his two front teeth shining brightly, and I picked him up.
I walked over to James, who couldn’t stop staring. “Baby, this is your daddy.”
James’s gaze caught mine, and I whispered, “He likely won’t understand.”
“You think it would be all right if I held him?”
A sudden warmth filled my chest.
“Yes, of course.” I gave him to James, and that warmth turned into something else. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. Maybe I didn’t get here the way I’d fantasized, but seeing Foxy in his father’s arms was definitely special and worth every heartache.
“Come to Austria for Christmas with me.” James held Foxy at the side of his arm. Seeing them close together like this was nice.
“I can’t. My parents are here, and it’s their first Christmas with their grandson. And I’m closing a couple of cases while Allie’s away.”
I didn’t tell him about my parents’ Christmas full work schedule, or the fact I would finish my work by tomorrow night. The holidays would be quiet and lonely, but I wouldn’t be alone. My son reached out to me, and I took him back into my arms, setting him in the playpen. The spark James held in his eyes vanished, and he lowered his head.
“If that’s the case, then I’ll miss you. I’ll miss both of you. Merry Christmas, Laura.”
He wrapped his arms around me, and I melted.
“Merry Christmas, James.”
I didn’t want to let go, but since he had, I did the same.
